New office-bearers picked with polls in mind: KPCC chief

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara on Saturday defended the announcement of new office-bearers to the state unit of the party stating the list had been drawn up keeping in mind the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said the list was prepared after extensive discussions with the party high command. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday had approved a new list of office bearers of the KPCC comprising 17 vice  presidents, a treasurer, 57 general secretaries and 96 secretaries.

Parameshwara rubbished reports that there was discontent in the party after the announcement of the list. Representation had been given to all communities and regions of the state. Priority had been accorded to women and youth while preparing the list, he said. “It is with this team that the party will face the Assembly elections. Those who have not found a place in the office-bearers list will be given other responsibilities in the party,” Parameshwara said.

Parameshwara termed as “baseless” the charge made by senior BJP leaders that AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal was adopting the ‘Kerala model’ of politics of using vendetta to crack down on BJP workers and RSS functionaries.

On the state government gearing up to initiate action against primary and high school teachers for indulging in political activities, Parameshwara said the move had been initiated following a complaint. “Rules do not allow teachers to engage in political activities. However, no teacher will be harassed,” he said.

 On BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje seeking to know why KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao had not married a Dalit, Parameshwara said, “Dinesh is already married. But Shobha is a spinster, she can marry a Dalit.”

A  war of words had broken out between the Congress and BJP after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently stated that BJP leaders instead of visiting Dalit houses and having food there, should get their children married into Dalit families.